Gifts for kids who travel

Gifts for kids who travel can be a practical item to bring on future trips or something to inspire wanderlust during non travel times.

The list below is based on products our kids have actually used and benefited from on our family travels to 36 countries.

My list includes gifts that are lightweight, easy to pack and clean, will not drain batteries or make irritating sounds!

There will be a perfect travel gift for kids to suit every budget and every travel style in the list below. 

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Gadget gifts for kids who travel

A Kindle

A kindle was invaluable on our family gap year for reading and home schooling especially when we did not have WiFi.

Lightweight Kindles use little space in carry on bags, they are hardwearing and easy for kids to use. 

Check out the top of the range Kindle Oasis which is an ergonomic device with an adjustable light, page turn buttons and the added bonus of being waterproof.

Or consider a cheaper, refurbished kindle; you can find fantastic refurbished bargains here.

A perfect extra gift is a Kindle gift card enabling the child to access over 1 million books in the Kindle library. Gift cards are available in different quantities to suit all budgets.

A camera 

I wanted to give our children the opportunity to capture their own travel memories so we gifted them a camera at the start of our family gap year.

This led to surprising results. The kids captured different angles and perspectives of people and places than I did and managed to catch more natural, off the cuff photos of each other.

Choose the V Tech Kidizoom for toddlers and young children as it can withstand regular dropping and will get your child used to the workings of a camera.

Our 6 year old used a Kodak PixPro on our round the world trip. The 16 megapixel, 28mm wide angle lens took decent photos and video and the camera is small and lightweight to carry.

The mid range 4k digital camera  is an affordable camera for video fans and aspiring vloggers.

It has a 48 megapixel video/camera with WiFi connection and 16x digital zoom, a rotatable LCD screen for selfie lovers, a 52mm wide angle lens and useful pause function on the video. Tweens will love it.

A Panasonic Lumix TZ90 is fantastic investment camera for teens and young adults.

This 24.3 megapixel camera has a 24mm lens with a huge 30x zoom, can shoot 4k video yet is lightweight at 0.32 kilograms. It has a 180 tilt on the LCD screen and an electronic viewfinder.

We love Panasonic cameras (our mirrorless Panasonic Lumix is the best camera we’ve ever had) and I think the TZ90 is a great camera that will grow with your teen.

You can find the TZ90 here.

Binoculars

Our son was given a lightweight pair of binoculars before our gap year and he used them wherever we went. I think binoculars are a must buy gift for kids who travel.

His compact binoculars were surprisingly powerful and we would never have seen the rare Resplendent Quetzal in Costa Rica without them!

Avoid colourful binoculars aimed at children as they usually have a small 8 x 21 magnification. ‘Adult’ binoculars will cost the same, weigh the same (or less) but will have a much higher magnification at 12 x 25. Make sure any binoculars you buy come with a detachable strap.

Check out these Occer binoculars with low light vision, 12 x magnification, a 25 mm lens and wide 7.5 degree angle. They are waterproof and weigh just 0.65 lbs so are ideal for young hands.

Headphones

Using your own headphones on a trip is priceless.  You get much better sound quality (and hygiene) than airline headphones and ensure peace and quiet for fellow travellers. They were useful for the kids to use when I was juggling different (distracting) home school activities.

Our kids use their headphones constantly when travelling for music, movies or audio books.

Check out these highly rated foldable headphones with a braided cord to avoid tangling.

A useful extra gift is a headphone splitter which allows more than one child to listen at a time. This fantastic gadget has saved many a child meltdown on our travels. 

Practical gifts for kids who travel

Reusable water bottle 

A reusable, insulated water bottle is one of the best sustainable travel products for kids. It will keep liquids hot and cold for hours and is more durable than plastic drink bottles. 

Avoid personalised water bottles (or any personalised gifts for kids who travel) as it is a safety issue when travelling with kids. 

We use these value for money, insulated BPA free stainless steel water bottles in different colours so we can easily distinguish each child’s bottle.

Or for a perfect gift for map lovers like me, check out my vintage map print bottle. I love mine and bring it everywhere!

Backpack

A backpack is an ideal gift for kids who travel but you do not need to spend a small fortune on a branded kids backpack.

Choose a bag for versatility, comfort and durability and avoid character or gender colour backpacks that will not grow with the child.

We love Cabin Max backpacks.

They are versatile, hard wearing and the affordable Cabin Max hybrid backpack I bought for our family gap year lasted well beyond our trip.

These are suitcase style backpacks (our kids prefer flat opening bags over top loading rucksacks) which are easy and quick to pack and unpack each day. 

Cabin Max bags are well designed with lots of interior and exterior pockets including padded iPad pockets. The adjustable, padded straps are comfortable and easy to wear even when the bag is heavy.

I love my Metz backpack which fits airline cabin bag restrictions but can be expanded to carry more items when I am travelling by road or rail. 

Check out the full range of Cabin Max bags here and my comprehensive review of Cabin Max here.

Headtorch

A headtorch is a must pack item and beats a hand held torch any day. 

You can purchase animal character headtorches for younger kids or adult style, longer lasting headtorches for older kids.

We never leave home without our trusted Petzl headtorches which we have had for years. 

Travel journal

Another practical gift for kids who travel is a journal to encourage a record of their trip. Daily writing will also tick a home school box!

When the child is older, their journal will be one of their most precious travel mementos. Add a personal touch by writing an inspiring dedication or travel quote in the front cover. 

 Choose from lightweight paper journals or a longer lasting leather bound travel journals. 

Twistables and a sketch pad

Twistables are pencil-like crayons inside a plastic casing to prevent breaking. They are ideal to use for travelling as they do not need sharpening, will not leak on you or dry up like felt tips. Plus they are inexpensive, lightweight and last a long time. 

Match the a gift of Twistables with a sketch book.

I love the precious sketchbooks from our travels that include my children’s sketches of flowers in Costa Rica and our beach hut in Samoa. 

Best kids travel toys and games

Card games

Cards are the best kids travel toys as they are versatile and easy to fit in a carry on bag or a handbag. 

We bring a set of traditional playing cards everywhere and they were a useful teaching aid for maths on our gap year. I have these smart vintage map playing cards on my wish list.

Our family’s favourite travel card game is Uno, a fun and easy game suitable even for young children.

I love to play Mapominoes, whose cards are packed with geographical information so can also be used for fun home school activities. My older children love to beat me at Monopoly Deal.

Bananagrams

Bananagrams are a recent discovery for us. I love this word game as it is perfect for homeschooling while travelling and adaptable for all ages. 

Plus, the game is easy to wash and sterilise when needed.

Pick up the brilliant Bananagrams here. 

Lego

Lego may not be considered an obvious travel toy but we never leave home without a bag of Lego in our luggage. 

It is lightweight, does not break easily and can be used for maths and problem solving or just for fun at the end of a long day.

Lego is easily washed and sterilised and I love the fact it transcends language barriers between kids. 

I recommend carrying your Lego pieces in a drawstring mesh bag as the whole lot can be washed together.

Ring frisbee

Active games are harder to pack in carry on bags – try packing a football!

A ring frisbee is a great option for active kids. It is unbreakable, will not puncture or deflate and is light to carry. These Activ Flyers weigh just 0.26 lbs. 

Best gifts for kids who love travel but are not travelling! 

A subscription to a travel magazine

This is a gift that will last all year long. I guarantee the child will look forward to each edition dropping onto their doormat – I know I do!

Nat Geo Kids is one of the best travel magazines you can buy. 

The monthly magazine is packed with educational articles and interviews, amazing photography, inspiring stories and fun puzzles. It is printed on 100% recycled paper and mailed in plastic free packaging.

An annual subscription of 13 issues cost £35 which includes unlimited digital access to back issues.

Sign up for your subscription here.

i – Spy Books

I love the i-Spy range as it encourages exploration and discovery in your home environment. 

We have enjoyed using i-spy Seaside, garden, flags, countryside and, our son’s favourite, i-spy On a train journey.  

The books can also be used to prepare kids for travel and new destinations and can be a  fun, educational accessory on a trip. Check out i-spy On a car journey in France and i-spy London. 

An Atlas

We love all things Lonely Planet and Lonely Planet’s Amazing World Atlas is the best atlas I’ve seen for older kids. Its 240 pages are packed with information, fun facts and travel inducing photos.

Nat Geo Kids World Atlas Activity Book has 2000 stickers for fun, interactive learning and young children will love the beautiful illustrations and stickers in Usborne’s Picture Atlas of the World.

A colour in world map

A scratch off map is ideal for kids who are travelling but a colour in map is a perfect gift for kids who are currently not travelling.

You can buy colour in maps on traditional paper or canvas but you can also buy colour in world and country maps on pillowcases, bags and tablecloths!

Giving a travel themed gift to kids who love to travel will mean a lot to the recipient as it demonstrates thought and consideration.

The gift can be educational, practical, fun or encourage sustainability.

But it may also be a gift that will inspire future trips, life choices and discoveries.

And we all want to give a gift that does that!